


Esc - Quit Game

by Raferus



Category: OFF (Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, The Elsen are too cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-22
Updated: 2013-05-22
Packaged: 2017-12-12 15:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/812889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raferus/pseuds/Raferus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The game’s been saved and the Player has left Batter outside the barn, but the Zone must go on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Esc - Quit Game

The Save Game washed over him in a tingling sensation that ran down to his fingertips and tasted of relief and confidence. He knew there was no chance of failing all he had done so far, and he would be ready to face what was to come. The Player, however, ceased to issue any commands and had completely disappeared from his senses. Without a guiding force to help complete his quest, Batter simply sat down and waited. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

The Elsen gave him a wide berth, at first. Even though Batter had rid the barn of spectres, he had also brought Dedan's wrath to the farm [though to be fair, everything angered Dedan]. As time progressed, he received fewer odd glances and became merely a part of the background at the farm. A month passed with no movement from him, his back propped against the fence as he still continued to wait. 

It was then that Dedan arrived for his monthly inspection, barking orders that the Elsen hastened to do. The immobile form of Batter was easily noticed, however, and ringing shouts could be heard across the farm when Dedan caught sight of him. 

“What the fuck is he still doing here? He's supposed to be DEAD! How long are you going to get in our way, fuckwit?” Dedan aimed the last at Batter, expecting some sort of angry response yet got... nothing. Batter didn't move or even look at him, which only fueled his anger even more.  


“Hey! Asshole! I'm talking to you! When the fuck are you going to LEAVE? You're in the fucking WAY!” he said, marching close so he could screech the last words almost directly in Batter's face. Still, no reaction was gained despite the intense volume of the words and Dedan was at a loss. He was used to fear or anger as an answer, not this oblivious lack of response that the Batter was doing. Well, if he wouldn't move or even acknowledge being spoken to, then alternate measures would be taken.  


“Fine! You there!” He snapped at the nearest Elsen, who cringed but hurried over, “From now on, pile the metals over here.”  


“But-”  


“Are you trying to tell me you know better than I do?!”  


“N-No... I just-”  


“Then get to piling the extracted metals by the fence!”  


The Elsen, and several nearby, jumped to moving lumps of metal over and dropping them around the Batter, who still hadn't moved. They tried to keep the metal from crowding too close to him, but soon enough it was piled so that all that was visible was the purifier's head.  


“Not so tough now, huh? Beating the ghosts was all a fluke, you're just an insignificant dipshit.” Dedan laughed, though the Batter's lack of response even now irked the Queen's supervisor and he turned away, laugh dying, to stare down the Elsen that had stopped working to pile metal around Batter.  


“What the fuck are you all standing around for? Get back to work! I'm leaving and I expect him to be gone next month.”  


None tried to stop him as he quickly strode out and away from the farm without another word. Once it was certain he was gone, however, a few workers came and started unpiling the boulders from on top of the seated form. Apologies were murmured and ignored in turn, though now that they knew he, too, faced Dedan's wrath, they were more apt to be kindly despite his disdainful look and silence. Some of them started leaving food by his side each night, though he had lasted a month before without eating or drinking anything. When they came back in the morning, the food would be gone and the Batter unmoved.  


During the day, they began to talk to him while working nearby, asking questions that were never answered or telling stories that got no response. It relieved the monotony, if only a little, and the Elsen considered him friend, though they were never sure if the sentiment was returned. When the shifts ended and night began, they would pile the boulders back around him as a sort of makeshift shelter from the cold smoke blowing from the mines before heading on their way.  


Another month passed this way, and soon enough Dedan's inspection came again. The Batter was still there, and the supervisor was still angry. Instead of having them pile the metal around him, however, he had a new form of torment for the purifier.  


“If you can't even get out of our way, then you're no better than the cow parts we throw away, you useless fucktard. Bring me a harvested cow,” he said, aiming these words at the Elsen sneaking looks at the two, “so we can make our 'guest' feel more at home!”  


His orders were reluctantly obeyed, half of a cow brought out by the fence. Dedan cut out some of the inedible meat and flicked it at Batter, laughing whenever some of it would stick onto his hat and jersey, “That's a good look for someone of your stupidity. I think you'll keep it!”  


Still getting no response from his actions, Dedan turned and snapped at a nearby worker, “Take this back to be processed! We can't go wasting good meat on a dumbass like him.”  


The cow was quickly brought back inside, with the tall man following after to make sure it was put away properly. Once his inspection was complete, Dedan left for Alma without a single glance or remark towards the Batter, not willing to go through being ignored again that day. 

When the shift ended and everyone started leaving, a heavy rain began to fall. One worker stopped to pick the meat off of Batter and left a clean towel nearby, though it was always a gamble as to whether or not it would be used. He also left a tie, with a very stuttered offer of coming to the residential area in Zone 2 to get out of the rain [which he knew to be in vain] before hurrying off to seek shelter. 

Night came and went, and in the morning the towel was used and discarded at the Batter's side, who also was now sporting a tie around his neck. It was enough of an acceptance of friendship for the Elsen, and the days seemed to move a little easier for them with the Batter nearby.  


For him, however, the days were unimportant and simply meshed together as he waited for the Player to return.  


And waited....  


And waited.


End file.
